Incorporate the Top Home Trends of 2018

Laura Love Bardell

Saturday, February 24th, 2018

With the start of a new year, many of us begin to think about how to make a fresh start. Some make resolutions, join gyms, try out new diet plans, begin new jobs or get new wardrobes. Why not also rejuvenate your home? It’s the perfect time to begin planning an on-trend, updated look for your living room, family room or bedroom. Whether you’re hoping to make a few small changes or you’re starting completely from scratch, here are some easy updates for your home to incorporate the top trends of 2018.

2018 Home Trends

In 2018, we’ll see richness of color, comfort in furnishings and an emphasis on organic elements in decor, including greenery, natural materials and textures and floral patterns.

Color: Pantone’s 2017 color of the year, Greenery, continues its influence into the new year as shades of green dominate the home decor scene. From shades of olive to layers of teal and turquoise, green is most certainly here to stay. Other on-trend colors for 2018 include soft lavenders, black and white palettes and warm earthy neutrals.

Furniture: Comfort is the name of the game for furniture. Fashion-forward sofas, sectionals and love-seats feature rounded curves and deeply stuffed, plump shapes. Many designers have incorporated lower seat heights and padded arms to encourage lounging. Velvet-upholstered couches are of-the-moment chic, while tufting and fringe provide elegant detail and visual interest. Another hot trend for furniture is accent chairs in bright colors–think reds, oranges and yellows.

Decor: For 2018, organic is in. Designers are setting their sights on plant life and greenery in real and faux varieties. Large-scale florals and leaf patterns can go just about anywhere–throw pillows, rugs, curtains, even wallpaper. Woven materials such as rattan and wicker get a fresh start with modern, updated shapes on chairs, accent tables and sofas. Brass decor is also here to stay, edging out brushed nickel on light fixtures, picture frames and more. For an extra-special statement, look for agate-topped side, coffee or console tables. Geometric designs and patterns are hot, too.

Incorporate Color

Whether you’re just testing the waters or are jumping right into the deep end, the color trends of 2018 are easy additions to just about any existing color palette. After all, green is the new black. To get started, consider visiting your local hardware store to check out paint samples. Even if a new wall color isn’t in your plans, you can use these resources to get a good idea of what hues you love and how they look with what you already own. The simplest way of adding an on-trend color to your home is with wall art, throw pillows and throw blankets.

For rooms other than the living or family room, think accessories. Drape a soft lavender blanket across the foot of your bed or add a patterned black and white shower curtain in the guest bath for a graphic punch. Switch out a few kitchen towels to bring green into your kitchen. No matter how you experiment with color, remember to have fun.

Update Your Furniture

If you’re in the market for new living room furniture, try tufted velvet. Velvet adds a luxurious, touchable look that is perfect for more formal spaces, and tufted detailing gives sofas, loveseats, chaises and ottomans a certain je ne sais quoi. Regarding color, taupes, tans and warm greys are easy to live with and provide a neutral background for other living room decor, including throw pillows, rugs and blankets. If you want the sofa to take center stage, though, look for a rich, navy blue velvet. Add a few complementary throw pillows bedecked with fringe for a look that is both trendy and timeless.

What about the family room? After taking careful measurements to ensure you know what will fit in your space, look for couches or sectionals with rounded backs and arms featuring deeply-stuffed cushions. For smaller spaces, including apartments, townhouses and lofts, experiment with updated wicker or rattan frames featuring clean lines and overstuffed cushions. If you don’t need a new sofa but you’d like to add extra seating, a brightly colored accent chair–or two–may be the perfect solution.

Explore New Decor

Another easy way to decorate your home for 2018? Bring nature inside with houseplants and greenery. Start small with an easy-care aloe plant or cactus in a pretty white ceramic pot that goes with anything, anywhere. Hang clear glass globes filled with air plants (tillandsia) in front of a kitchen window, or place a trailing ivy plant on the top of a bookshelf for a cascading effect. Feel like you have a black thumb? Modern faux plants look just as good as the real thing and are the perfect solution for dimly-lit areas, including hallways, interior rooms and guest rooms.

The botanical trend doesn’t need to stop at houseplants. Botanical patterns and leaf prints are perfect for fabrics and upholstery throughout the 2018 home. Add a pair of leaf-patterned throw pillows at each end of the sofa, or make a bold statement with leafy graphic wallpaper.

Brass decor has regained popularity over the past few years, and 2018 is no different. For a modern vibe, find candleholders, picture frames and lamps that mix wood and brass into clean lines and updated styling. Bold black and white marble side tables look elegant with brass bases, too. Not into brass? Consider geometric patterns on throw pillows, wall art, framed prints and rugs. Moroccan-style cutout lanterns lend a worldly-vibe to any room and, if installed as a hanging light fixture, draw the eye up through the space. The 2018 home decor trends are perfect for adding organic texture, warmth and comfort to your home.

Laura Love Bardell writes for Crate and Barrel, where she creates inspirational, design-savvy content. In her spare time, she enjoys triathlon training and spending time with her pets and family.